Voyage Bubble looks to have Hong Kong’s mile division at his mercy after a scintillating victory on the city’s biggest race day.

Sent off a $2.6 favourite for the Group One Longines Hong Kong Mile, Voyage Bubble was always in control after jumping well and eventually settling outside leader Beauty Eternal in a race run with plenty of early speed.

After striding to the lead at the 300m, Voyage Bubble powered home a length and a quarter clear of Japanese raider Soul Rush to stop the clock over half a second inside standard.

“He’s a great horse in his own right. Geez he felt excellent going to the gates today. He was really on the job and credit to Ricky [Yiu Poon-fai] and his team. They prepped him up beautifully,” said star Kiwi jockey James McDonald.

“He’s a fair dinkum [horse], he just gives his all. Very big heart. He’s very uncomplicated, puts himself in the race. It’s great for Hong Kong. They’re dominating. Let’s go, one more,” added McDonald before bagging the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) aboard Romantic Warrior 40 minutes later.

Runner-up to retired superstar Golden Sixty in the Mile 12 months ago, Voyage Bubble stepped out of the great galloper’s shadow to add a second Group One to his CV alongside January’s Stewards’ Cup (1,600m).

Also a convincing winner of last month’s Group Two Jockey Club Mile when giving weight to most of his rivals, the six-year-old has emerged as Hong Kong’s new 1,600m king.

“We were pretty confident. After the jockey worked him in the mornings it seemed to him that he’s a better horse than last season,” said Yiu.

“Mentally, he’s a lot more mature. He’s very smart. He’s also got taller and a little bit bigger. The place in Conghua, he enjoys it very much.

“Of all his jockeys, James is the one who rides him the best. [Gate five] helped him and the way the pattern of the race went suited him a lot.”

Yiu tasted his fourth success at the Longines Hong Kong International Races and first since Sacred Kingdom’s second win in the Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) in 2009.

“I always enjoy having the winning photo on the grass. I feel really happy for the [owners],” said Yiu.

“We have a wonderful team who has worked together nicely all along.”

Just as Voyage Bubble was starting to power clear, Karis Teetan shifted out aboard Chancheng Glory, kicking off a concertina affect that hampered Happy Together, Jantar Mantar, Red Lion, Lazzat and Antino.

While Chancheng Glory crossed the line in fourth, a protest from Alexis Badel aboard sixth placegetter Happy Together saw Beauty Eternal promoted to fourth and Happy Together jump to fifth, while Chancheng Glory was relegated to sixth.

Teetan received a three-meeting suspension and a HK$60,000 fine.

Voyage Bubble’s fellow local hope, Galaxy Patch, was sent off a $5.8 third favourite but could only manage seventh after travelling near the back of the field before finding traffic in the straight.

“I copped some interference a couple of times but he ran well still,” said jockey Vincent Ho Chak-yiu.

Runner-up Soul Rush finished two spots better than in last year’s Mile, with Moreira suggesting it was the galloper’s wide draw rather than his momentary waywardness in the straight that cost him any chance of victory.

“It was a fantastic run, I just think he was beaten by the gate,” said the Brazilian.

Veteran local galloper Beauty Joy finished a brave third.